Jenna + Scott's Palm Island Wedding

Well hello there! I appologize for not blogging sooner. This has been a busy year so far and I have only now just begun to figure out how and when I need to post. Over the next few weeks I will be highlighting some of my most favorite sessions from this year so keep your eyes peeled!  I am wiping off the dust, doing some fine tuning and will have it full of interesting, helpful articles in addition to showcasing my amazing clients very very soon.  In fact, I'm starting now!

 I have been sharing several sneak peaks this year directly on Facebook but it has come to my attention that many visitors to this site don't get the chance to see that page so a good deal of my newest work goes unseen. Soooo, from now on I will be sharing the sneak peaks here and linking to Facebook so everyone gets some eye candy.   Want to see some of the ones just mentioned? Go here: www.facebook.com/maryvealphotography   and be sure to "like" it too!  

Without further ado this is Jenna and Scott's sneak peak!    This lovely couple planned their wedding on the gorgeous private island Palm Island in Marathon, FL.  They woke to beautiful blue skies and balmy breezes. Earlier in the week we were worried the hurricane would be a direct hit and pummel us with rain and high winds but all of us here in The Florida Keys got lucky when it fizzled out over Cuba on Tuesday afternoon. 

When Scott first contacted me, this is what he said:  "We plan to get married on the beach of our friends private island with our immediate family and small circle of friends who can afford to make it down from the northeast. We envision simple elegance and plan to make shoes optional! We are looking for a photographer who can find the spirit of the day, capture the elegance of the moment, and have some fun with us! Especially getting the children involved."   Well, Scott, I hope these images do just that...you be the judge. :) 

When I arrived all of the girls were in the small cottage getting ready. Chris and Frank from Medusa's Mane had already arrived and begun working on the girls hair. Excitement was in the air but with this great group there was no tension to be found. 
The kids are already friends and get along very well. They even planned a surprise together for Jenna and Scott....you'll see toward the end of this post....  Such sweet girls (and boy, you will see him soon)! I got carried away with pictures and neglected to write anything. So, as you can see, after the girls were dresses we set out to take some pictures but got caught in a rain squall that left the little ones a tad in a panic because they were worried about Jenna. How sweet are these kids?!  Jenna, however, proved to be Grace under fire. If she was anxious about the rain, nobody knew it. It didn't last long and we were able to take cover under a tiki hut on the island and remained dry. As soon as it was over we headed back to the cottage to hide Jenna since guests were beginning to arrive.  I caught up with the boys who were just kicking back enjoying quality time together and playing video games. We got a few quick shots then it was time to head over to the ceremony site. Okay, now you are caught up.... Mica Gardner provided the perfect pre-ceremony music which got the guests in celebration mode right from the start.            The little girls were so nervous, they were worried they would mess up, and they wanted so badly for the day to be perfect. They did a great job!
Scott literally gasped when he saw his beautiful bride!!!
lll

Sand ceremonies are not just for the bride and groom. lncluding the children is the perfect way to symbolize the uniting of two families.  The children feel very special for being a part of it and I am sure it helps them grasp the significance of getting married.
Congratulations you two!!!  (Now Scott has photographic evidence he hugs big!)  
How sweet is this? They are now sisters and nobody told them they had to hold hands on the recessional, they did that on their own.
Now, it was off for some family photos! 
You can't go wrong with a private island that has a putting green! With its old growth and abundant Coconut Palm trees, Palm Island is one of the lushest, most beautiful pieces of property I have seen here in The Florida Keys and there are alot of incredibly beautiful places here. 
They are so cute together! 
After we finished family photos with the kids, rather once the kids were finished with us and tired of pictures, we set out for some dramatic landscape couples shots. These are kind of my thing, my style so to speak, if you have not noticed yet. Guess what? We got stuck in the rain again! Luckily this was a short storm like the one earlier and we were able to get some dramatic images too. Remember, rain on your wedding day is supposed to be good luck. They are now 2 times luckier. 
lll Reception time!!!  Jill with Mile Marker Party Rentals set the stage for an elegant evening with acute attention to detail and a bubbly personality.
Mangrove Mike's did a wonderful job with their plated dinners too. 
ll Marathon Florist added flair with sophisticated flower arrangements using flowers, shells and water.  
ll ll

Photo Bomb!   The beautiful bride and her sweet father. He came to check on her, braving the storm and it's intensity while we were waiting it out under the Tiki Hut. 
Another sweet father daughter moment.     How about this mother/son moment?  I still adore the photo (towards the beginning of this post) of Scott with his mom too. 
This is Jenna's brother and his beautiful family! Below, we see where Jenna gets her good looks from in this mother/daughter picture.   
What a fantastic group of family and friends!  They all made me feel like part of the celebration. 
ll Can you top great friends?  Only by combining a great family! 
This was our sunset.  Not much of  an idyllic one but incredibly interesting anyway.  Luckily this deluge held off until later in the evening. 
The kids put together a gymnastics routine as a wedding present for Scott and Jenna. They put in considerable time and effort choreographing moves together and had to conquer the fear of performing in front of everyone to execute it and they performed remarkably well!  
l l ll l l Sweet Savannah's created this impressive display of assorted baked delights topped with a beautiful starfish inspired cake.  
Calla Lillys submerged in water, topped with a candle and lit from the bottom? Yes, please. 
Clearly everyone had a blast dancing to Micah and Stephanie's sweet harmonies!  

Someone please explain this?

There you have it! This sneak peak through the blog turned out to be the most images I have ever done a sneak peak with but I wanted to illustrate the entire day. What do you think? Is it too long, or too short?

PS-  For those of you who attended their wedding and became a fan of mine on Facebook, please let me know by commenting below if I missed your picture on here and I will edit this post to include your image too.   

Vendor List:

Photographer: Mary Veal  ~  www.maryveal.com

Venue: Palm Island, Marathon, Florida  (Private Island)

Hair and Make-up: Medusa's Mane  ~ www.medusasmane.com

Party Rentals and Event Decor: Mile Marker Party Rentals ~ www.milemarkerpartyrentals.com

Florist: Marathon Florist ~ www.marathonflorist.com

Baker: Sweet Savannah's ~ www.sweetsavannahs.com

Music: Ceremony and Reception: Micah Gardner ~ www.micahgardner.com

Bridal Gown Designer: David Tutera  ~ www.davidtutera.com

Menswear Designer: Island Importers ~www.islandimporter.com